Airbus Helicopters H125 vs Airbus Helicopters H130 vs Bell 429 Globalranger vs Bell 505 Jetranger X vs Bell 525 Relentless
By category, the Airbus H125 and H130 and the Bell 505 are light single‑engine helicopters: the H125 is typically the most “utility” oriented (lifting, external load, high/hot performance), while the H130 and Bell 505 skew toward passenger comfort and sightseeing/executive missions. The Bell 429 GlobalRanger is a light twin‑engine helicopter positioned for IFR-capable corporate, EMS, and public‑service roles where redundancy matters. The Bell 525 Relentless is a larger “super‑medium” twin, aimed at offshore, longer-range corporate, and higher-payload missions. In range, the light singles (H125, H130, Bell 505) are generally suited to shorter legs, with typical ranges in the few-hundred‑nautical‑mile class depending on tanks and reserves. The Bell 429 usually offers a similar or somewhat greater practical range than the light singles, but with twin‑engine capability and higher cruise speeds. The Bell 525 is designed for notably longer legs than the others, commonly cited in the upper hundreds of nautical miles. For passenger capacity, typical seating is about 4–6 passengers for the Bell 505, around 5–6 for the H125, roughly 6–7 for the H130, about 6–7 for the Bell 429, and around 10–12 for the Bell 525 (config dependent).
| Spec | AIRBUS H125 | AIRBUS H130 | Bell 429 GlobalRanger | Bell 505 JetRanger X | Bell 525 Relentless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | |||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| DOC / nm | $ 4.61 | $ 5.00 | $ 6.29 | $ 3.53 | — |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Total Seats | 6 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 18 |
| Flight Rules | VFR | VFR | IFR | VFR | IFR |
| Manufacturer | Airbus Helicopters | Airbus Helicopters | Bell | Bell | Bell |
| Aircraft Name | H125 | H130 | 429 GlobalRanger | 505 JetRanger X | 525 Relentless |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 341 | 333 | 365 | 306 | 580 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | $ 0.77 | $ 0.71 | $ 0.79 | $ 0.71 | — |
| Max Cabin Seats | 5 | 5 | 6 | — | 16 |
| OEM Verification | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | VERIFIED | VERIFIED | VERIFIED |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 2189 | 2299 | 2535 | 1500 | 6675 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 4 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 16 |
| Direct Operating Cost | $ 627 | $ 640 | $ 931 | $ 441 | — |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Garmin G500H | Garmin G500H | Bell BasiX-Pro | Garmin G1000H | Garmin G5000H |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 136 | 128 | 148 | 125 | 160 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $3,200,000 | $3,450,000 | $7,500,000 | $1,445,000 | $15,000,000 |
| Cabin | |||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Total Seats | 6 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 18 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 5 | 5 | 6 | — | 16 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 4 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 16 |
| Engine | |||||
| FADEC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Dual-Channel | Dual-Channel |
| Model | Arriel 2D | Arriel 2D | PW207D1 | Arrius 2R | CT7-2F1 |
| Fuel Type | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel |
| TBO (hrs) | 5000 | 5000 | 4000 | 4000 | 4000 |
| Horsepower | 847 | 952 | 1100 | 505 | 1800 |
| No. of Engines | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | 143 | 143 | 216.9 | 84.85 | 641 |
| Fuel Burn (gph) | — | — | 76 | 32.3 | — |
| Dimensions | |||||
| Length (ft) | 42.5 | 41.5 | 43 | 42.48 | 61.58 |
| Overall Height (ft) | 10 | 11.1 | 13.25 | 10.65 | 18.18 |
| Rotor Diameter (ft) | 36.1 | 35.1 | 36 | 37 | 54.5 |
| Width (ft) | — | — | 26.37 | 6.51 | 25.77 |
| Cabin Width (ft) | — | — | 5 | 4.66 | 7.58 |
| Cabin Height (ft) | — | — | 4 | 2.75 | 4.5 |
| Cabin Length (ft) | — | — | 6.58 | 7.17 | 15.5 |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | — | — | 130 | 137 | — |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | — | — | 74 | 18 | 128 |